You all are amazing and beautiful. Many thanks to these people for reviewing: busisikbeko1, Kiats10, AliasTesin, Sommernacht, Julee Andrei DelaRosa Piedad, Bear2022, Annadidit, bloodberrylicious, dumdeedum, and Feroza.

oOo

THEN

Shisui could only use the transportation jutsu to get them so far. On the trip, he hid a few seals that he could use as anchor points. They led all the way to Konoha.

However, Hakuto sustained too many injuries. Her body could not withstand traveling over long distances through space and time. He pushed her as far as he could, but they were still far from Fire Country borders when they stopped for a brief moment. Once they reappeared on solid ground, Hinata halted him.

"We're losing her, Captain."

And if that did not spear him through the heart, then the little shake in her voice, did.

Thankfully, they could start fires now. No one knew how to successfully follow someone using the body flicker over long distances. And if the strange nin could do so, then Shisui and Hinata had bigger problems.

Hinata focused on delicately laying Hakuto on the waterproof side of one of their sleeping bags. Shisui easily gathered enough wood and kindling for a fire. Saving his chakra, he used flint and a striker to start it.

They worked in tandem, not needing words to communicate. Hinata opened a storage scroll next to her knees for their cooking implements and another that held their medical supplies. He fished out a pot and dumped two-thirds of their water supply into it. He used a few clumsily placed rocks and chakra wire to hang it over the flames.

Hinata snapped on clean gloves and began carefully undressing Hakuto, peeling off her flak jacket and pieces of singed cloth from burns. Shisui cleaned his hands and helped haul away all the detritus.

He held up the flak jacket and grimaced. On one side, the cloth covering the metal armor was burnt away, showing where the blast superheated the protective plating. He resisted an urge to run a finger over the bubbles and whirls of the now cooled steel. He reached into a pocket and pulled out a vial of soldier pills, which he stuffed in his own vest.

He would go through the rest of the pockets later and destroy the jacket. For now, Hinata needed him.

Putting on some gloves of his own, he kneeled on the other side of Hakuto, he helped move her body as Hinata exposed all the wounds. Then he got up to take the boiling water off the fire, bringing the pot close. He brought a steel bowl with him too. Hinata tore one of her clean shirts into strips. She dropped some of the pieces into the water to sterilize them.

He caught sight of her face once or twice. Her eyes held banked tears, but she clenched her jaw tightly in determination.

Once both the water and cloths cooled enough, Shisui fished out a piece. Holding a bottle of antibiotic soap, he poured some onto the strip. Not too much though. They needed to save it. Hakuto… had a lot of wounds.

Hinata accepted the soapy fabric and used it to carefully clean, from the biggest wounds to the smallest. Once she finished, he took it from her and put it in the bowl, handing her a wet cloth without any soap. She used that to wipe off excess soap. They worked methodically like this until they washed off most of the blood, leaving the gore exposed.

They both paused a moment and took in their comrade. Hakuto's chest still rose and fell with breath.

Hinata sniffled, once. She took off her bloody gloves and tossed them into the bowl. She then tore open the packaging that held another set. Shisui disposed of his own gloves.

"Can you please bring my backpack close, Captain?"

As quickly as he could, he unsealed another scroll and fished through it. He brought it to her and rested it on the ground by Hakuto's head.

Hinata gathered packs and packs of non-stick gauze. The best option for burns, to keep the gauze from sticking to very delicate injuries.

"In the front pocket, I have a large glass bottle with a green salve inside. Please get it for me?"

Shisui did not need to be told twice. He unzipped the bag and pulled out the bottle.

She took it without meeting his eyes. "I can put it on the wounds if you hand me the gauze, please."

"Of course."

He put on a second pair gloves and gathered the gauze into his hands. Hinata stuck her whole hand into the jar and very gently swiped the salve over Hakuto's injuries. She drew back as if struck when Hakuto, even unconscious, cried out in pain.

Shisui knelt behind Hinata. He placed his left thigh behind her back and leaned his left shoulder into her right. His right thigh pressed against hers. It put them uncomfortably close. Perhaps he would not take such liberties with another nin. However, he judged her personality correctly.

She leaned into the "V" he made with his body. He could feel how she minutely trembled. His right arm pressed under her elbow and into her side as he tried to hold the gauze in front of her. His other hand rested palm up on his left knee. The positioning placed his mouth right next to her ear.

Whispering into the delicate appendage would be unsettling for both of them. He instead looked into the woods behind Hinata. He still spoke a bit into her hair and his jaw brushed the crown of her head, but it gave them enough distance. He hoped.

It was not time for being embarrassed. Not when their comrade lay practically naked and dying next to them.

"You have to continue, Miss Hinata." He kept his voice soft and void of recrimination.

"I'm hurting her," Hinata protested shakily. "M-maybe I could try healing chakra first?"

"It would burn her further. There needs to be a barrier between her burns and your chakra."

She knew this. But book knowledge felt much different from actually causing your comrade pain. She pressed back further into him. He knew she needed comfort and stability. But the sun slowly sank towards the horizon. Shisui wanted to ward their campsite before darkness fell.

"You're doing well, Hinata. You're doing your best."

She sniffed and leaned forward, taking her body heat from him. She resumed placing the salve on the burns before carefully sticking the squares of gauze on that.

Shisui moved away only when she needed help turning Hakuto on her side. By the time they finished, the jar lay empty. They only had half of the special gauze left.

They carefully wrapped Hakuto in bandages. Then came the problem with clothing. Hakuto's backpack scroll was too burnt to be usable. Hakuto stood taller than Hinata but needed a bigger shirt than Shisui's. They awkwardly bundled her into Shisui's spare pants and Hinata's shirt.

"No flak jacket," Shisui said when Hinata looked at her spare.

Hinata grimaced. The idea of leaving a fellow nin unprotected in the field felt unconscionable. But the weight of the steel plating would only hurt more.

Hinata nodded. They wrapped her in a blanket.

That done, Hinata sat back and sighed. She formed the first hand seal when Shisui shook his head.

"You need to eat. And drink water. I'm going to secure the site. We can do it together."

Hinata paused. "I can do it. Healing with chakra is not too intensive."

"Hakuto's stabilized. And you've had your Byakugan activated this entire time." A bit of sternness bled into his voice. "You're tired. I'm tired. Deactivate it and eat."

Hinata ducked her head low and touched a protruding vein in her face with an ungloved hand. Shisui sighed. He picked up a nearby ration bar and their water canteen. Standing, he walked close.

She sat in the sieza position, her hands fisted into her uniform pants. Again, she did not look at him. It stung. He crouched next to her, putting the water and food in front of her.

"You did everything you could. You haven't left Hakuto's side. You need to take a break."

The heavy dark of nighttime betrayed how many hours they spent stabilizing Hakuto.

Hinata shook her head. "What if… what if she doesn't make it?"

Shisui wondered how many missions Hinata had been on. How many comrades died on them. Probably not many. Not that it ever became easy, but Shisui almost felt inured to the grief by now. He would grieve, later. He compartmentalized in a way that appeared difficult for Hinata.

"You've done all you can. You can only pray to the gods and try again later."

Thinking she might want space, he made to stand. In a move that caught him off guard, she lunged forward. She grabbed his hand, staring at him in alarm. Shisui paused and settled back onto his heels.

She flinched and tried to pull back. "I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

He clasped her hand in between both of his. Her fingers, while calloused, felt delicate against his larger ones. Long ago, he had zipped his flak jacket halfway down. Taking advantage of it, he slipped their hands into the folds and pressed her palm over his heart. She could feel his heartbeat under his black uniform shirt. He was alive. He was still here. He was not going anywhere.

She stared at him with wide, bewildered eyes. He let go of her for a moment, grabbing the ration bar and tearing open the wrapper. He offered her the food.

She tried to bring her captured hand away, but he tutted. With his free hand, he pressed her palm back to his chest.

Unsure, she took the bar from him. He smiled encouragingly until she ducked her head slightly away from him and took a bite. It did not sting this time. Mostly because she did not break his hold. Even though she could. He barely held her in place.

"I'm sorry to cause you more trouble," she said after she got halfway through her food. Her fingers stopped trembling.

He patted her hand again. "It's no trouble. You care deeply for Hakuto. I could not ask for anything more."

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "I shouldn't be so emotional."

"Not in front of an enemy, no. But it's just me, and Hakuto. You can be honest with us." He tilted his head to the side. "Were you unable to be honest with teammates in the past?"

She looked at him and pressed her lips together. Her eyes gleamed in the moonlight.

Of course. He could hit himself for being so dense. Those were Hyuga eyes. Feelings were seen as a weakness, no matter the situation.

"I shouldn't impose my emotions on you," she said.

He did not want to have any kind of argument, even if it would be as mild as a sweet pepper.

Cupping her hand between both of his again, he said: "You've helped me just as much as I've helped you." He changed the subject. "Will you be okay if I ward the campsite?"

She nodded, reluctantly pulling away. "And then you'll eat?"

Shisui stood. He would laugh at his words being turned against him. However, he felt she might take it negatively. Instead, he stared fondly down at her.

"Of course. I'll eat, and then we can do some healing together. Okay?"

A bit of the determination returned to her expression. "Okay."

oOo

NOW

Shisui does not have time to read more letters. He sleeps instead. In the morning, if he pushes himself a little faster than he should… well. No one is around to tell him to rest.

When he finally leaves Fire Country borders, he breathes in a sigh of relief. He is that much closer to Hinata.

oOo

Coming up: Shisui gets frustrated.

I'm trying to get my little playlist for this fic uploaded to Tumblr. I'm more about vibes than lyrics when it comes to music that I write to. I like Waiting or Waterfall by Vok, right now.